Hydrocarbon vaporizer and burner.



- Patented Oct. 24, I899. C. C. BRUOKNEB. HYDROCARBON vAPnmzER ANDBURNER.

(Application filed Dec. 27, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Shoeta-8heot I.

A TTORNE Y.

mi 635,465. Patented Oct. 24, I899.

c. e. anucxuen.

HYdRocAnBon VAPORIZER AND aunnan. (Application filed m a7, 1599. (NoModel.) 2 Shoots-Sheet 2.

WITNESSES: A INVENTOR.

BY Q Q \3 26 ATTORNEY.

Tn: "cams Puma co. PuoTo-umo WASNINETDN. o. c.

FFlCt CHARLES C. BRUOKNER, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

HYDROCARBON VAPORIZER AND BURNER,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Yatent No. 635,465, dated October24, 1899. Application filed December 27, 1898; Serial No. 700,472. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES C. BRUCKNER, of New York, county of NewYork, State of New York,have invented a new and useful Improvement inHydrocarbon Vaporizers and Burners, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in hydrocarbon Vaporizers and bu rners, particularly of the type employing a Bunsen burner and anincandescent mantle or hood, such as the Welsbach, to increase theilluminating power of the flame.

The principal obj ectsso ught to be attained by my invention are, first,means for vaporizing the first flow of oil by the momentary applicationof a tiny flame, such as that of an ordinary friction-match or Waxtaper, in order to dispense with the necessity of heating the entireburner,as with a torch,and the use of a subsidiary lighter or burner asa permanent part for the apparatus; second, to so arrange thevapor-generator by means of which the burner while in use iscontinuously supplied with vapor, so as to avoid obscuration of thelight emitted from the flame and mantle and at the same time avoid thepossibility of any part of the circulating system being subjected toexcessive or destructive heat, and to position the vapor-generator asclosely as possible to the mixing-chamber and burner, so as to reducethe loss of heat from the vapor in passing from the generator to theburner, and, third, an improved vapor-jet fitting which will not beclogged by adhering deposits of free carbon.

To these ends my invention consists in providing an initial vaporizer,preferably arranged in the vapor-circulating system intermediate of themain vaporizer or generator and the mixing-chamber and outside of theexcessive heat-zone of the burner. It is essential that such vaporizerhave an oil-conducting passage extremely constricted or narrow, so as topermit only a mere thread or film of oil to pass, that the walls of thevaporizer shall be of some good heat-conducting metal, such as copper,and that the thickness or mass of the walls shall be SllffiGlGIll] toretain the heat absorbed from the match-flame against the chillinginfluence of the oil within or non-luminous zone of the flame.

and atmosphere Without, so as to maintain the vaporizing action of theattachment until the burner can be lighted and the heat of its flame hasestablished the regular automatic generating of vapor. My preferredconstruction for this purpose is a main generator or vaporizer tube ofcircular form arranged concentric with the burner and adjacent the blueThe initial vaporizer I have connected with this tube and located itbelow the same and intermediate of it and the mixing-chamber underneaththe burner, whereby it is positioned below the excessive heat-zone ofthe burner and its more delicate construction thus protected frominjurious heat.

The preferred form of initial vaporizer I have found to be a tube curvedinto helical form, thus affording a conical opening in the center toreceive the match-flame and utilize the maximum amount of its heat. Theopening. or bore of this tube is so small that for convenience andproper definition I term the same filamentary, and it is preferably lessthan one thirty-second of an inch in diameter. The 'Walls of the tubeshould, on the other hand, be not less than one thirty-second of aninchin thickness in order to insure sufficient mass to retain the heat for asufficient period, as above stated. I have found by actual use that withan initial vaporizer of the foregoing description the flame of anordinary match applied to the interior of the coil for fifteen or twentyseconds will heat the same sufiiciently to vaporize the first flow ofoil, properly regulated, and continue the operation until the heat ofthe burner-flame has established vaporization in the main generator. Oneof the great defects of ordinary apparatus of this character consists inthe clogging and stopping of the vapor-jet opening by deposits of freecarbon. These deposits Will adhere to metallic surfaces and form anobstruction. I have found, however, by careful experiments that if thejet-opening is through a non metallic mineral having a smooth orpolishedsurface-such, for example, as a quartz or crystalthe material,because of its smoothness and possibly also by reason of its being apoor conductor of heat, will not permit the carbon to adhere, and that ajet-fitting of this character will operate indefinitely withoutclogging.

The particular construction of the various devices thus generallydescribed will more fully appear in the following detailed descriptionand is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a lampfitted with my improvements having an incandescent mantle and Bunsenburner, and Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same.

In detail, A represents the bodyor reservoir which is intended to behermetically closed and provided with any suitable means (not shown) forapplying pressure to the contained oil.

B is a burner ol' the Bunsen type provided with a chimney-holder 2,chimney 3, incandescent mantle -l-, and mantle supporting standard 5.

6 is a tube leading from the reservoir upward and adjacent the burnerand preferably connected to a coupling 7.

Sis a hemispherical case arranged below the burner and through which thepipe 0 passes. IVithin this case is arranged the mixing-chamher 9,substantially U-shaped, one end connected with the burner and the otherend being provided with air-inlet openings 10. This end of themixing-chamber is also provided with a coupling 11, to which isconnected the vapor-tube l2, fitted with a piece of nonmetallic mineral,such as quartz or crystal 13, having a polished jet-opening. Around theburner and base of the mantle is arranged the main vaporizing'tube C, ofcircular form, concentric with the burner and positioned substantiallyin the same horizontal plane with the top of the burner. A tube 15connects the tube O with the coupling 7, whereby it is rendered readilyremovable for the purpose of repair. Below the tube 0 and connecting itwith the vapor-tube 12 is the filamentary tube 16, of substantially thedimensions above described and formed into a helical coil, to which thematch-flame is intended to be applied. In some cases I may prefer toprovide a coupling between this coil and the tube 0 in order that theymay be disconnected whenever necessary.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: \Vhen it is desired tolight the burner, a match or taper fiame is applied to the interior ofthe helical coil 16, and as soon as it is suffieiently heated thereby aslight flow of oil is permitted, which in passing through the coil isvaporized, and the vapor is carried downward to the mixing-chamber andthence with the intermingled air to the burner, where it is lighted.Sutficient heat is retained in the helical coil to continue thisvaporizing action until the heat of the burner-flame has generatedsulficient heat in the main vaporizing-tube O to establish its operationas a vaporizer. Thereafter only the tube 0 is at the point of maximumheat, the helical coil and connected parts being, however, sufficientlyheated by their close position to the burner to prevent undue chillingof the vapor as it passes to the burner, the helical coil beingsubjected to high heat only for the few seconds during which the matchis applied to it. Clogging or injury to the coil by reason of excessiveheat is therefore prevented and its life or period of efficient servicethereby indefinitely prolonged.

By the construction above described it is apparent that the mainvaporizer O is brought very close to the mixing-chamber and the minimumamount of heat is lost in the transmission of the vapor to the burner.The form and positioning of the main vaporizer 0, all parts of which aresubjected to substantially the same degree of heat, make it unnecessaryto subject any part of it to excessive heat, and its proximity to themixing chamber makes it unnecessary to heat it to as high a degree as isthe case Where the vaporizer i's positioned farther away from theair-mixing chamber. It is also to be observed that there is practicallyno obscuration of the light from the mantle, a feature of practicalvalue and importance in such apparatus. By employing the quartz fittingfor the vapor-tube opening, thereby securing a non-clogging orifice,frequent stopping of the flow of vapor, as is common to such apparatus,is avoided and the operation of the lamp is continuous anduninterrupted.

Various modifications of the above described structure may be madewithout departing from the essential ideas of myinvention which havebeen above set forth in general terms, it being particularly emphasizedthat some part of the vapor-circulating system shall be of suitabledimensions and construction to be efficiently utilized for initialvaporizing, as described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In an apparatus of theclass described, an initial vaporizer forming a part of the circulatingsystem, consisting of a filamentary tube or conduit, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, an initial vaporizer formingpart of the circulating system, consisting of a filamentary tube, thethickness of the walls of which is substantially the same as thediameter of the bore, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, an initial vaporizercomprising a filamentary tube, the thickness of walls of which issubstantially equal to the diameter of the bore, formed into a helicalcoil, as and for the purposes'specified.

4. A vapor-jet fitting consisting of a perforate non-metallic mineralhaving polished, glassy or crystalline surfaces adjacent thevapor-opening.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with a Bunsenburner an incandescent mantle, a mixing-chamber beneath said burner, anda source of oil-supply under pressure; a circularly-curved tube arrangedconcentric with said burner substantially level with its top andconnected with the source of oil-supply, and an initial vaporizer havinga filamentary opening or passage positioned intermediate of andconnected with said tube and mixing-chamber.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with a Bunsenburner, an incandescent mantle therefor, a mixing-chamber, and a sourceof oil-supply under pres sure; a circularly-curved vaporizing tubeconnected with the source of oil-supply and arranged concentricallyaround said burner and substantiallyin the same horizontal plane withits top, and the helically-coiled tube intermediate of and connectingsaid main vaporizing-tnbe and said mixing-chamber, substantially as andfor the purposes specified.

7. A vapor-jet fitting consisting of a perforate crystal.

8. In a vapor-burner, in combination with the air-mixing chamber, aninlet-jet fitting comprising a piece of quartz or crystal having apolished orifice therethrough.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, in combination with thevapor-tube and mixing-chamber; a quartz or crystal fitted to the tubeand having a jet-opening therethrough.

10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with theburner, the incandescent mantle and the mixing-chamber, of the mainvaporizingtube concentric with said burn er and subject to the thermalinfiu= ence of its flame and an initial Vaporizer con= sisting of afilamentary tube with Walls of a thickness approximately equal to thediameter of the bore of the tube and positioned intermediate of saidmain vaporizing-tube and the mixing-chamber, whereby it is exposed toless of the thermal influence of the burnerflame than said mainvaporizing-tube.

11. In combination with a hydrocarbonburner an initial vaporizerconsisting of a filamentary tube or conduit.

12. In combination with a hydrocarbonburner, an initial vaporizerconsisting of a filamentary tube or conduit, the thickness of the wallsof which is substantially equal to the width of the passage, or more.

Signed at New York this 15th day of December, 1898.

CHARLES C. BRUOKNER.

Witnesses:

LINDLEY VINToN, CHARLES HALL BOTFORD.

